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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22948444">Just So I Can Adore You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoinToYourWitcher/pseuds/CoinToYourWitcher'>CoinToYourWitcher</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>All song fics all the time, Amy Shark, Ben Solo’s Big Hands, Come on a musical journey with me, F/M, Kidswaste, Kinda, Kygo - Freeform, Louis The Child, Matt Maeson, Motorcycles, Online Dating, Rebounding, Revenge, Seattle, Space Needle, Using an app to avoid arrest, Vandalism, Wet Ben Solo, and horizontal dancing if you know what I mean, music festivals, stealing shit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:02:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,224</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22948444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoinToYourWitcher/pseuds/CoinToYourWitcher</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rey signs up for an app with a feature for those wanting a platonic rebound partner. Ben signs up in need of a partner in crime to get revenge on his ex.</p><p>
  <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4zvH0IRPN3jz59dS901jwF?si=JGj3L1yLSWK-laEuNyeCSw">The Spotify Playlist</a>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rey &amp; Ben Solo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>192</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The Perfect Date - Pink Ladies Spring Exchange</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Nobody Wants To Be Lonely</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cecilia1204/gifts">Cecilia1204</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Cecilia1204!!! I love this Amy Shark song, it inspired me so much! I built a playlist for the whole fic around it and the plot.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Chapter song recommendation: Adore by Amy Shark</p><p>
  <strong>Get me a drink I get drunk off one sip<br/>Just so I can adore you<br/>I want the entire street out of town<br/>Just so I can be alone with you<br/>Now go when your ready<br/>My head’s getting heavy<br/>Pressed against your arm<br/>I adore you, I adore you<br/></strong>
</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <a href="https://ibb.co/1GpfNZp">
    
  </a>
</p><p> </p><p>Rey was becoming very familiar with this bathroom stall. The ladies room at the office had four, but the best one was the one farthest from the door. It was the handicapped stall, but there had been no women of that description at Alliance Designs in the three years she had worked here. Still, somehow, social taboo kept the other women from ever testing the door. She couldn’t believe she was back in here, hiding during her lunch break, wiping her mascara with toilet paper. <em>She needed it, </em>she thought, <em>for her handicapped heart</em>. Rey chuckled wetly to herself.</p><p>Two weeks ago, she had graduated from the Post-Breakup Toilet to sitting mirthlessly at her desk to eat. That’s when they had launched that new dating app, the one she’d designed, <strong>Adore</strong>, for their biggest client, First Order Tech. Then, last Saturday, like an idiot, she had given it a shot.</p><p>They had requested a feature called Rebounding for people who had just gotten out of a relationship and weren’t ready for another. The guidelines had dictated that this was for people who just wanted a day of anonymous friendship, nothing more.</p><p>The program was even made so that users couldn’t see each other’s Adore profiles or any photos. It only required a quick description of what they would like to get out of a day spent with another Rebounder, then others could choose to swipe left for “no” or right for “yes”.</p><p>Last Saturday, Rey was laying on her back, fully ensconced under her covers, reading the sad pitches of other Rebounders as she crafted her own. She was calling it her Pity Paragraph.</p><p><strong>Rey</strong><br/>Female<br/>Age 25</p><p>
  <em> <strong>I’m looking for…</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Someone who can take my mind off my ex. Someone who is NOT blonde, blue-eyed, and a sociopath.</em>
</p><p>That’s good enough. Her finger tapped the SUBMIT button. She waved her comforter off and decided to read more Pity Paragraphs in her giant claw foot tub. Listening to her Breakups Blow playlist that had a conglomeration of artists, ranging from Amy Shark to Ricky Martin, Rey sunk down into the hot water, feeling a brief flicker of happiness. Planting her feet above the drain, Rey could read on her phone without sliding underwater.</p><p><strong>GeneralHugs</strong><br/>Male<br/>Age 32</p><p>
  <em> <strong>I’m looking for…</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Someone who wants to eat ice cream and watch movies all day. I can offer a bony shoulder to cry on.</em>
</p><p>Rey paused. <em>Well crap.</em> She was supposed to use a pseudo. <em>Oh, well.</em> She had a weird name and could just pretend it was fake. Swiping left, Rey moved on, <em>that guy sounded depressing.</em></p><p><strong>Solo</strong><br/>Male<br/>Age 30</p><p>
  <em> <strong>I’m looking for…</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A partner in crime. No, seriously. Do not swipe right unless you fully intend to get arrested with me.</em>
</p><p>Reading that description again, Rey smiled. <em>Wow. A smile!</em> How could she keep going down the list and never know what this guy was talking about? Feeling bold, she slid her dripping pointer finger across the screen. Right.</p><p>
  <strong>CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve been matched with another Rebounder. This connection will disappear in 6 hours.</strong>
</p><p>“Oh, crap!” Rey sat up. She had slid too far down and her earbuds had gone underwater. Panicking, she pulled them out of her ears and threw them on the bathroom floor.</p><p>Looking at her phone, Rey’s mind reeled. “Solo” must have already swiped right on her Pity Paragraph for the app to respond so quickly. He must have just gotten the same message.</p><p>DING. An alert from the app.</p><p><strong>Solo: </strong>Meet me outside the Seattle Aquarium at noon. Tell no one.</p><p>Rey looked at the time on her phone, it was almost 11 am, and it would take her 10 minutes to bike there. She could do it.</p><p><strong>Solo:</strong> Just kidding. You can tell people. But don’t wear heels.</p><p>Rey paused, staring at her toes.</p><p><strong>Rey:</strong> I’ll be there. You can wear heels if you want to.</p><p>Smiling at her own joke, Rey dunked her head under the water, holding her phone in the air. She was going to have to speed bathe. Underwater, she heard another DING.</p><p><strong>Solo:</strong> I think we’re going to get along.</p><p>Rey decided to throw out all the stops. This was her first experience with dating apps, and even though it was a platonic one, she wanted to feel good today. She put on her favorite black top, the one that gracefully bared her shoulders. She braided her chestnut hair in three lines on the left side and curled the rest of her hair so that it had more body than usual. Grabbing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, she bounced backwards onto her bed and fed her legs into the holes, bouncing back up into a standing position to squirm them up her hips. Deciding on her black Converses, she grabbed her purse, and ran out the door.</p><p>Outside of her apartment, she could see the Space Needle up the hill. One of the perks of living near a landmark was the ever-present LimeBikes that people could rent. She glanced down at the app on her phone, finding one two blocks away and started running. As she found the bike, cast aside on the grass, she realized she hadn’t thought about her ex for the last hour. <em>That’s amazing.</em> She scanned the QR code between the handlebars that unlocked the bike and straddled it.</p><p>Rey got to the pier in 5 minutes, thanks to the little electric motor in the LimeBike. She looked at her phone. 11:55. Nice. Setting the bike on the kickstand, she tapped END RIDE on her phone. She went to walk away, but her cross-body purse was hung on the seat of the bike. The whole thing fell forward onto the back of her legs, knocking her down awkwardly over a concrete parking bumper.</p><p>A pair of helping hands detached her purse from the bike and let it fall noisily to the ground. <em>Big hands</em>, she thought, as they helped her stand. She looked up. And up.</p><p>He was tall, this helpful stranger. Dark, loose hair, broad shoulders in a tight denim shirt. He was looking down at either side of her legs, letting go of her hands.</p><p>“Anything hurt?” he asked seriously, his voice deep.</p><p>“Only my pride,” Rey replied, dusting off her hands and walking away a little bit. He looked like he was waiting for a ride to pick him up.</p><p>“Thank you, by the way!” she offered, before his ride showed up.</p><p>He smiled lazily, turning to her, a quizzical look on his face.</p><p>Rey had almost forgotten she was meeting someone here. Glancing at her phone again, she messaged Solo.</p><p><strong>Rey:</strong> I’m here.</p><p>DING.</p><p>She smiled, looking up. Big Hands was smiling too, holding his phone up a little.</p><p>
  <em>Thank the app gods.</em>
</p><p>Solo put his phone in his back pocket, without looking away, and picked up a black duffel bag that was at his feet. She hadn’t noticed that before.</p><p>“That’s a creepy-looking bag you got there,” Rey said, jokingly, easing the tension.</p><p>His smirk stretched into a grin, stopping only a few feet from her, holding out his other hand in greeting. She shook it - <em>ah his hands. His arms. Ugh. Gather yourself, woman. He just got out of a relationship.</em></p><p>“You’re going to be even more creeped out when I show you what’s actually in here,” he laughed. His eyes flickered over her bare shoulders. “You know I had this whole thing planned but now I just want to take you out for a drink or something, it seems crazy now. I haven’t been getting much sleep and it’s…” He ran his hand through his hair.</p><p>
  <em>I wish I had filmed that.</em>
</p><p>“I brought a flask!” Rey said, remembering. She hated paying for overpriced liquor. Living in Seattle was expensive and you had to life hack where you could.</p><p>“It’s noon, but whatever, blame our exes,” Rey said, fishing it out of her purse. Solo was smiling politely, watching. She handed it to him, a large, silver one, antique. He took it, loosely unscrewed it, tilted his head back, and let it pour into his mouth without touching it. Wincing the burn away, he handed it back to her.</p><p>Rey took a swig, <em>ah, liquid courage</em>.</p><p>“Cute flask,” he said, watching her cringe.</p><p>“Thanks, yard sale. I’m a bit of a scavenger,” Rey said, sticking it back in her purse, “Okay, we’ve had a drink. What’s next?”</p><p>Ben took a deep breath, watching her as if she might run away, and unzipped the bag.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Cheater</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Chapter Song Recommendation: Tonight by Kidswaste</p><p>
  <strong>The darkness makes me want you<br/>Do you feel that too<br/>The darkness makes me want you<br/>But do you want me too<br/>You could make me forget<br/>All the walls around my head<br/>All I know is I want more<br/>What are you waiting for</strong>
</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rey didn’t know what she was looking at.</p><p>“What are they? They look like something a stormtrooper would wear,” she said picking one up. Underneath it were some unused bottles of spray paint.</p><p>“They’re respirator masks. Also, it’s broad daylight, but I have to do this now and I only have until 4 o’clock,” he said, thinking out loud.</p><p>“Um, are you thinking about, like, graffiting something?” Rey said, googling it on her phone, the mask under her armpit, “The penalty is up to 90 days in jail! Up to a $1,000 fine!” </p><p>Ben was watching her, crestfallen.</p><p>“What graffiti would be worth that?” Rey asked, putting the mask back in the bag.</p><p>“Man, I hadn’t even gotten to the really wild thing I came up with,” he sighed, chuckling. He looked tired.</p><p>“Okay, just give me a little more information, I didn’t say no yet,” Rey said, shocked at her own words, but not wanting to let him down.</p><p>He looked up at her hopefully.</p><p>“Well. I fell for this girl at work. I moved out here for her, even, from the East Coast, away from my whole family. I even bought this ring,” his breath caught, “She basically wasn’t who I thought she was. She cheated. And I haven’t been sleeping and then I came up with all this-,”</p><p>Rey cut him off, “You know what, Solo, let’s do it.”</p><p>“What?” he asked, stunned, “You’re going to risk jail time to help me out?”</p><p>“Uh. Yes,” she said. She knew she was reckless right now because of <em>her</em> breakup. She also knew that his sad, brown eyes were overriding her rationale. </p><p>“How do you feel about hugs?” he asked, smiling boyishly.</p><p>“Bring it in, stranger,” she said, hugging him. It started as a normal hug, warm, tight, then Ben’s bottom lip touched her bare shoulder, just slightly. A silly thought went through her brain, like lightning. <em>Kiss him.</em></p><p>She broke the hug, “Ok, let’s go! We only have til 4 o’clock, right?” </p><p>Solo smiled, leading the way to a red and black motorcycle between two parallel parked cars. <em>Of course, you dreamboat.</em></p><p>“I guess we’re not spray painting the aquarium,” Rey said, offhandedly.</p><p>“We should, zoos and aquariums are animal prisons,” he said, handing her a helmet off the back of the bike. </p><p>Suddenly feeling overdressed for motorcycles and vandalism, Rey squeezed her head into the helmet. She was groping around for the chin-connector things when she felt his hands on hers, snapping it and pulling it snug. Looking at her bare shoulders and elbows, he handed her the gray bomber jacket that was lying on the seat of the bike. Maybe because--in the event of a crash--it would protect her skin. Donning the jacket, she watched him run his hand through his hair before sliding his helmet on too. She was going to get to watch him do that all day.</p><p>Rey took a deep breath of spongy helmet air and threw a leg over the bike, gripping his denim shirt in two little fists on either side of him. Solo stood a little, kicking downwards at something on the right side, and the bike shook to life. He revved it a couple times, but didn’t take his feet off the ground. The helmet made his head motions exaggerated, he looked down at her hand on the right side of his shirt. Slowly, he put his right hand on hers and pulled it across his chest. She did the same with the other one, scooting closer. </p><p>Solo leaned them into an upright position and pulled forward, turning left, heading towards Belltown. She leaned with him, wishing she didn’t have a helmet on so she could rest her cheek on his back. After seven or eight blocks, he turned right, heading north now. All too soon, he was pulling over, creating his own parking space between two cars again. </p><p>“It’s a couple blocks away, but I didn’t want my bike to be spotted,” he said, unmuffling his voice as he pushed the helmet upward with both hands.</p><p>Finding the strap, Rey was able to remove her helmet and set it on the bike seat. She was about to take off the jacket but he stopped her, holding out a hand.</p><p>“Leave it on, don’t want everyone looking at us,” he smiled, meaning her shoulder-revealing shirt. </p><p>“I didn’t dress like a cat burglar, I’m sorry,” Rey grinned. <em>There it was again. Smiling.</em> This man was a tonic.</p><p>She followed him two blocks north but stopped suddenly when he turned down an alleyway, the voice of reason kicking in. He turned, realizing the sketchiness of the situation.</p><p>“My ex lives in this building,” he said, pointing, “She was always complaining that the view from her bedroom was a brick wall. I think...we could make it something worse than a plain brick wall.”</p><p>Nodding, Rey followed him. About halfway down the alley, he pointed to a metal fire escape staircase, the ladder out of reach. </p><p>“Ready, partner?” he asked, looking excited, “Her window overlooks the 4th floor. I doubt anyone will see us, there’s no view, so everyone has curtains.”</p><p>“Ready,” Rey said, relieved that they were doing this in an alley, the whole street to themselves. </p><p>Without warning, Solo came forward, squatting down. Two big hands found her hips and lifted her in the air. Comprehending, Rey reached up and grabbed the fire escape ladder, pulling it down with ear-splitting screeches, one rung at a time. Rey figured he didn’t need a partner in crime to do this, so much as a step ladder. He must have wanted the company.</p><p>Setting her feet back on the ground, Rey realized he was blushing. He hurriedly bent down to grab his duffel and started up the ladder. They climbed up to the first landing, then the ascent became stairs. Four floors up, Solo stopped, looking at the dark, curtained window across the alley, somber again.</p><p>“What’s her name?” Rey asked, quietly jealous.</p><p>“Victoria,” he said tersely, dropping the duffel and unzipping it. He handed her a respirator mask without looking, putting one on himself, resembling a sexy fighter pilot. She followed suit, the plastic digging into her cheeks a little, but she squinted her eyes so he’d know she was having fun.</p><p>Solo turned to the wall, holding up a can of black, about to depress the nozzle, when Rey held up her hand like she had a question.</p><p>“Yes?” he asked, amused.</p><p>“You have to shake it first,” Rey suggested.</p><p>He shook the can, readjusted his mask, and started writing. As the 2-foot letters became a word, Rey smiled, imagining Victoria seeing this out her window, her jealousy slipping away.</p><p>Grabbing a can of white, Rey shook it and started filling in his letters. She was part of this now, and even though the revenge was on Victoria, she felt like it was somehow against her ex as well. </p><p>Shading a nice gradient of blue into the white, Rey realized Solo was behind her, his mask off, his face inscrutable. How long had he been done, waiting for her? She had gotten caught up in the design. She pulled her mask off, turning around to apologize when he closed the distance, giving her a soft kiss, like a thank you, then leaned back on the railing where he had been watching her. </p><p>Rey knew her hair was probably flat from the bike helmet, then the mask, and she probably had pink lines on her face from the plastic, her hands sticky with white and blue paint. But his kiss made her feel beautiful, and she felt the last vestiges of sadness biodegrade. </p><p>She was over her ex. It had been 3 hours since she swiped right. Joining him on the railing, they admired their handiwork. </p><p>
  <strong>CHEATER</strong>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Unfriend</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Chapter song recommendation: Love is Alive by Louis The Child, Elohim</p><p>
  <strong>I just wanna go where love is alive<br/>Love is alive love is alive<br/>I just wanna go where love is alive<br/>Love is alive love is alive<br/>Love is alive when you don't have to prove it<br/>Unafraid, there's no way to lose it<br/>Oh I just wanna go where love is alive<br/>So I'm gonna do that</strong>
</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They were walking along the sidewalks, curving around Lake Union, having stashed the bike on a beach occupied only by Canada geese. He had them hide their belongings in his locked gunny sack on the bike. Unsure of their goal, Rey was trying to tease it out of Solo.</p><p>“Are weee going to your office to wrap her car in Seran Wrap?” Rey asked.</p><p>“No,” Ben said, looking nervous.</p><p>“Are weeee going to do a ton of shopping with her credit cards?” Rey asked, unphased.</p><p>“How are you at swimming?” Ben asked, ignoring her.</p><p>“I- I can’t swim,” Rey said, worried. <em>Was this going to mess up her chances of participating in their next deviant mission?</em></p><p>“Well, that’s okay, I can help you, but how do you feel about getting wet?” Solo asked, eyeing her, running his hand through his hair in anticipation.</p><p><em>Already there</em>, Rey joked to herself.</p><p>“I’m fine with it, it’s warm,” she said, casually.</p><p>“Cool. Because we have to swim over to that float plane and...borrow it without permission,” he said flatly, watching her face as it followed his finger. Three white tourist planes were lined up at a dock, floating on pontoon feet.</p><p>“Can you fly?” Rey asked, impressed.</p><p>Solo laughed, shaking his head in disbelief, not the response he was expecting. They walked down to the water’s edge, then just kept walking, fully clothed. It was freezing. Ben took her hand and put it on his shoulder, turning towards the dock and swimming quietly. Trying not to weigh him down, Rey kept her head low in the water, her hands on his strong shoulders. When they reached the dock, he could touch the bottom. Placing his hands on her waist, he hoisted her up onto one of the pontoons. </p><p>Looking down at him, with his wet hair and clingy shirt, Rey paused to enjoy the moment. He was too, his hands on the pontoon on either side of her hips, both hiding silently under the plane. They smiled, then climbed onto the dock and tested the door of the plane, it was unlocked. Rey stepped in, seeing multiple passenger seats, but made for the copilot seat at the front. Solo had disappeared, he hadn’t followed her through the door. Finally he appeared, pulling a skinny rope in with him and leaving the passenger door open.</p><p>“Hold this for me, but don’t pull,” he instructed, excitedly sitting in the pilot’s chair. For a moment he looked confused, then he turned the ignition key--also conveniently left unattended--and started flipping switches.</p><p>“You said you could fly right?” Rey whispered, trying to remember.</p><p>“Yeah my dad taught me, it’s just been a while,” he admitted as the plane started rumbling forward, away from the dock.</p><p>“Define ‘a while’,” Rey said, buckling herself in with her spare hand.</p><p>“About twenty years,” he said, looking back at the dock through the window. A Kenmore Air staff member was watching from the other end of the dock, too dumbfounded to move.</p><p>“So. You learned to fly when you were ten,” Rey did the math, trying to remain calm.</p><p>The plane started to lift off the waves as Solo pulled back on the joystick to gain altitude. </p><p>“I learned when I was five, but I haven’t flown since I was ten,” he said, as if there was a huge difference.</p><p>Rey stopped questioning him as her stomach flew to her pelvis, followed by a wonderful weightless feeling, he was having fun, bobbing them up and down in the air. Looking out the window, Rey could see the houseboats along the shore, like the one in Sleepless in Seattle. There were sailboats and yachts everywhere, cutting through the water and leaving little white trails. The plane changed course, heading back towards the city. Originally from northern Washington, Rey was still excited to live in Seattle. It had a romantic layout, in one perspective you could see Lake Union, the Space Needle, and snow capped Mt. Rainier behind it.</p><p>“Want to fly over the Needle?” he asked, enjoying her excitement.</p><p>“Sure,” Rey said, pressing her face to the glass. She could see it up ahead, there was some event happening, then, seeing the size of the crowds, she remembered, “It’s Bumbershoot!”</p><p>“Oh, the concert festival,” Ben said, nodding as he looked out his window. </p><p>Rey knew she should feel terrified, having just stolen a plane with a man who was using a pseudonym, but oddly enough, all she feared was the day ending too soon. The sun was starting to set and the neon lights of the concerts cut through the air, beaming around the clouds like an aurora borealis. <em>It’s not like there were cops coming to get them in the sky.</em></p><p>“I don’t get it, how is stealing a plane going to get revenge on Victoria?” Rey asked.</p><p>“So, when I left Victoria, she unfriended me on Facebook. It’s stupid, but I felt like that should have been something I got to do. I was so frustrated. I couldn’t even think of a way to cut her out like that. Then I came up with this idea,” Solo explained, staring straight ahead, musing to himself, “Pull that rope, whenever you’re ready.”</p><p>Remembering that she had a rope in her hand, Rey turned to see if it was still connected to something on the tail of the plane, from the passenger door they had entered. Taking a deep breath, she pulled, feeling something give. The rope went loose at the other end, dangling in the wind, she reeled it in.</p><p>“Okay, what did I just do?” Rey asked, feeling like she had messed up.</p><p>“Look out the back, I’ll turn,” Solo laughed.</p><p>As they changed course, Rey could see a white banner was being towed by them now, the word <strong>UNFRIEND</strong> in all caps. Laughing, she turned to Solo.</p><p>“That’s what you were doing back there!”</p><p>“I stashed it under the Kenmore Air dock last night. We’re about to fly by her building, she’s hosting a party on the roof,” he said, pleased with himself.</p><p>Rey turned to look for a rooftop party. Sure enough, she saw one, illuminated by twinkle lights, tiny party-goers were pointing at the plane. Cutting a wide circle, Solo headed back to Lake Union, a huge grin on his face. Rey turned back to the pilot, amazed.</p><p>“That was incredible,” Rey beamed, watching him. </p><p>Solo glanced at her, leveling out the plane. He pushed his wet hair out of his eyes and motioned for her to lean to the middle, like he was. Rey leaned in, as if kissing while flying had been on their agenda all night. They met in the middle, his tongue finding hers, a kiss more passionate than the first time, punctuated by the occasional pause for oxygen. </p><p><em>They were the half-mile high Bonnie and Clyde,</em> Rey thought, watching him glued to his seat while he held the joystick. Without intending to, Rey’s hands unbuckled her seatbelt and she slid closer, rising up to his level, twisting, sitting on his lap. </p><p>Every once in a while, his eyes opened to make sure they were flying at a safe altitude, but there was nothing up this high but the two of them. His mouth moved to her exposed neck and shoulders, slipping her shirt down even further, following it’s decent with his lips. Rey smiled as her wet shirt slid down to her waist, watching his face as he admired her strapless black bra. </p><p>She could feel his arousal through his wet khakis and was looking into his eyes, asking how far he wanted to go. His excitement turned to confusion as he looked into her eyes. He cleared his throat.</p><p>“I know we haven’t talked about you all day, I haven’t even asked,” he said, looking ashamed of himself.</p><p>Feeling the mood change, Rey slid off his lap, slinking back into her shirt, and returning to her seat, “I’m fine, I didn’t want to think about my life today.”</p><p>“Yeah, but. I don’t even know your real name,” he said, angry now, “I had all these plans and I don’t even care about them now, I just want to get you home safe before we end up in jail.” His focus was back to flying. Rey felt that weightless feeling that indicated a change in elevation.</p><p>“I wish I had met you first,” Rey said, under her breath. He heard her.</p><p>“Me too,” he said seriously. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Need You Now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Chapter song recommendation: Hallucinogenics - Vallis Alps Remix - Matt Maeson, Vallis Alps</p><p>
  <strong>Drunken in Seattle, two more Xans and without a paddle<br/>I don't remember your face, or your hair, or your name, or your smile<br/>'Cause I just couldn't open up, I'm always shiftin'<br/>Go find yourself a man who's strong, and tall, and Christian<br/>'Cause I carried on like the wayward son<br/>And now through and through I have come undone<br/>And now I am just but the wayward man<br/>What with my bloodshot eyes and my shaky hands<br/></strong>
</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There were police lights flashing at the Kenmore Air dock. Luckily, that wasn’t their destination. They landed, bouncing once, gliding in towards the beach where they had stashed the motorcycle, about a mile away from the police. They would still have to hurry. Solo turned the plane so that the door was on the shallow side, they didn’t even need to swim. Jumping out one at a time, they splashed through a couple feet of water to shore. Taking her hand, he pulled her faster in a run to the bike. Pulling his key out of his pocket, he started it while they slid on their helmets. They took off in a spit of gravel, the next destination unplanned, just fleeing now.</p><p>Traffic was terrible, but he snaked in and out of lanes, heading away from the sounds of sirens. They had the same idea at the same time, pointing to the Space Needle, full of thousands of people, a great place to blend in. Within minutes, they were tossing their helmets at the bike, running up to the temporary gates where concert staff stood checking tickets.</p><p>“We don’t have tickets, but can we buy our way in?” Rey asked the security guards at the gate, rifling through her purse. </p><p>The sirens were getting closer.</p><p>“Take this, it’s worth ten thousand dollars,” Solo said, pulling a ring box out of his gunny sack that he had detached and brought with him. </p><p>Dumbfounded, the security guard opened the box, seeing the diamond ring. He looked at the wet couple holding hands in front of him.</p><p>“Don’t you want to give this to your girl?” he asked, clearly interested in his offer.</p><p>“I’m not his girl, we met today,” Rey said, possibly a note of disappointment sneaking through in her hurry.</p><p>Solo looked at her, then back at the security officer, “She <em>is</em> my girl. But I’ll get her a better one,” he said, smiling at Rey.</p><p>The security guard made a face at their crazy, but stepped aside to let them pass. They raced into the Seattle Center, hands held tighter now. The sun was down but the thoroughfare was glowing with necklaces and hoola hoops, the light from the stage around the corner ahead beckoning them. Without looking up at the Space Needle, they sprinted towards the bigger crowds and thumping bass.</p><p>Rey could barely believe what Solo had told security just now. They had met nine hours ago. But oddly enough, she wasn’t running for the hills, even though she was running up a hill. Looking back towards the gates at the far end, they saw police streaming in past security. Ben pulled her around the corner, down the hill parallel to the concert. The crowd was down in a green amphitheatre, pulsating with tens of thousands of people, lights dancing over their outstretched arms.</p><p>Out of breath, Solo spun her behind a tree where they were hidden from view on either side by bushes. The music of the band was loud and intoxicating when mixed with adrenaline and hormones. Like a shot of lust to the bloodstream.</p><p>
  <strong>Pushing past the limit, trippin' on hallucinogenics</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>My cigarette burnt my finger 'cause I forgot I lit it</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>Drunken in Seattle, two more xans and without a paddle</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>I don't remember your face, or your hair, or your name, or your smile</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>'Cause I just couldn't open up, I'm always shiftin</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>Go find yourself a man who's strong, and tall, and Christian</strong>
</p><p>Solo’s back was to the tree and Rey was unbuttoning his shirt, pressing her mouth to his, both ignoring the cops running by on the pavement. No one could see them here. Solo picked her up by the legs, raising them to straddle him, then leaned her back on the mossy grass, the air heady with reefer.</p><p>Rey finished his shirt as he started on her jeans. He paused to peel the wet denim over his arms while she raised her hips to slide her pants down. Solo had a white Henley long-sleeve shirt underneath the denim and by the time he pulled it over his head she was done extricating herself from her jeans. As he leaned over her again, kissing her shoulder, she felt the heat that had been trapped beneath his shirts. Unsated, Rey grabbed his wet hair by the back of his head and brought him back to her mouth, his hips grinding into her. They moved like that, soundlessly in the din of the festival, a horizontal dance. </p><p>Solo paused, breathing heavily, looking into her eyes the way she had on the plane, asking. Rey nodded, slipping her pink underwear down to her feet. He was ready when she laid back down, pausing to rub his tip hard on her clit, not kissing her, just thinking. Rey waited impatiently, feeling his motions, seeing the size of him, licking her lips, but letting him process the moment. They both were aware that they were strangers but this was happening, this out-of-character thing, for both of them. </p><p>Solo raised his hand to his mouth, bringing the wetness to his cock, rubbing himself. He slid himself in slowly, pausing as she sucked in her breath, he almost didn’t hear it over the music, but then she raised her hips to continue their dance, more carnal with every moment. His hands pushed her shirt up to feel more of her, finding a rhythm that had them both panting.</p><p>Rey felt like her mind was clear for the first time in weeks, months. Out of her head and in her body, the ground vibrating beneath her. Solo was the king of multitasking. She remembered how he had flown the plane and kissed her. Now he was licking the curve of her breast--having pulled her bra and shirt down to her navel--one arm braced himself to hover above her, and the other grabbed her ass, sliding down to raise her knee up, controlling his fluid hip motions better, his eyes closed. </p><p>Rey watched, memorizing the moment, her senses in blissful overload, the aching nerves between her legs, his hot lips on her throat, the tree leaves reflecting neon lights, the stars trying to shine through the light pollution, the electronic sounds that cancelled out her brainwaves, bringing her peace. </p><p>She felt her body tensing, a bolt of energy shooting up her core, no stopping it, just letting it spread, seizing her muscles. Her hands grabbing his shoulder blades like handholds meant only for her. Arching her back, she came down from her own personal lightning storm. Solo pulled out, a sultry sigh as he spilled on the grass between her legs, stroking himself twice to completion.</p><p>Laying back and raising her knees, a feeling of relaxation engulfed her, almost putting her to sleep. Solo kissed her upper leg, sitting back on the tree, his eyes worshiping her as she lay before him, lights exposing her beauty in flashes. He looked almost shy, as if he shouldn’t be looking. They watched each other, a bond forming, like a promise. Rey sat up and he pulled her into a kiss. They paused, keeping their faces close, hidden in the curtains of their hair, breathing each other’s air, not wanting to reenter the world, back to where they were strangers.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Missed Connection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Chapter song recommendation: I See You (feat Billy Raffoul) by Kygo, Billy Raffoul</p><p>
  <strong>You're more than just a notch in my belt<br/>A story to tell<br/>The only thing on my mind<br/>It's obvious I'm not doing well<br/>Do you see these eyes, when have you known me to cry?<br/>I'm just sitting here remembering how your lips taste</strong>
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          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rey threw a wad of toilet paper into the lidless toilet, flushing with a kick of her foot. Steeling herself, she walked out of the bathroom stall, looking at herself in the mirror. Her face always got beet red when she cried, her eye makeup had all been rubbed off. She’d have to redo it from scratch. Sliding her purse forward, she hurried, before a coworker came in. </p><p><em>No such luck.</em> </p><p>A gorgeous blonde in a gold pencil skirt came in, flashing her a smile as she chose a stall in the middle. Rey didn’t recognize her from the office, probably a client. <em>Great.</em> Done with cover up, Rey was on her liquid eyeliner when Pencil Skirt came out to wash her hands, surveying Rey’s face in her mirror.</p><p>“I’ve seen you before, you’re the designer on the Adore app,” she said, sweetly.</p><p>Rey nodded, collected now, “Yep, do you work at First Order Tech?”</p><p>“Yeah, I’m actually the CEO,” she said, quickly, trying not to brag as she dried her hands on a paper towel, “I think you did such a great job on the design, you’re so talented. I cannot wait to launch it.”</p><p>Rey laughed, “You did launch it, two weeks ago.”</p><p>“Oh, only the beta version. I’m Victoria, by the way,” she said, shaking Rey’s free hand.</p><p>“Beta version? What do you mean? I joined it,” Rey said, thinking back to Saturday.</p><p>“Yeah, we sent out the link to staff at First Order Tech and Alliance Designs,” she explained, “So it’s not really public yet, just internal.”</p><p>-------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>“Are you thirsty?” Solo asked, putting his white shirt on. </p><p>
  <em>Always.</em>
</p><p>“Yes,” Rey admitted, sliding her bra back into position, she had already put her panties back on, they were dry now, having been hanging on a branch.</p><p>“I’ll be right back,” he said, not bothering to kiss her, it would just be a second. </p><p>It took exactly 1 millennia to get back into her wet skinny jeans, by which time, she was already worried something had gone wrong. Putting her purse around her left arm, she waited, peeking around the tree. Two cops were walking aimlessly, watching the concert. Suddenly, they were listening to something going down, each holding a hand to their ear. They looked around and started running towards the Space Needle.</p><p>
  <em>Oh no, what if they spotted Solo?</em>
</p><p>Rey checked the Adore app.</p><p>
  <strong>Your Rebounder conversation has expired</strong>
</p><p>“What!?” Rey cried, trying to think of a way to get ahold of him. No phone number, no real name, basically the whole purpose of this feature was not to rebound, not to date, anonymity. Why hadn’t they just said their names at some point tonight? </p><p>She could go back to his bike!</p><p>Walking down the thoroughfare towards the gate, she saw the security guard who had taken their bribe, walking with two cops. He pointed directly at her, sending the cops running. Changing direction, Rey ran, getting her LimeBike app out. She found a bike only a block away, and scanned the code, her hands shaking. She ran next to the bike until she got to the downhill part of the road, and jumped on, zipping away faster than their pounding feet could carry them. </p><p>At home, barricaded in her bathroom, Rey sat in her empty bathtub. She had no details, no way to search for him. On the best day of her life, she cried herself to sleep.</p><p>--------------------------------------------------</p><p>“You want to get a drink, after work, maybe?” Victoria asked, watching Rey putting on her mascara.</p><p>Rey poked herself in the eye, “Ow, wait, what?”</p><p>“After the pre-launch meeting, I don’t have anything else for the rest of the day,” Victoria was saying.</p><p>“Oh, I’m in that meeting, I didn’t know it was a ‘pre-launch’, I thought it was a ‘post-launch’ and I had a looot of feedback on that subject,” Rey said, wiping her eye off.</p><p>“I’m asking you out,” Victoria said plainly.</p><p>Rey laughed, “Get out of here.”</p><p>“No, I’m serious, I’ve seen you around and I-,” </p><p>“Internal. So everyone signed up on the Adore app works for our companies,” Rey said, registering, “Do you know a tall guy, dark hair, big ears, big- well, everything? Wait,” hard swallow, “what did you say your name was?”</p><p>“Victoria Snoke,” she said, glad to bring the focus back to where she intended.</p><p>“Oh, shit,” Rey said aloud. The bathroom echoed in silence.</p><p>“So, I’m guessing you know Ben,” Victoria said, reading her face, “Did he tell you we used to date?” she asked, cautiously.</p><p>“Yes, Ben. Did,” Rey said slowly, testing the name.</p><p>“I’ll see you in there,” Victoria said politely, looking disappointed, walking out like a pin-up model.</p><p>
  <em>I’ll bet Ben still hasn’t figured out she’s into women. It would have lessened the blow, probably.</em>
</p><p>Rey blew her nose, grabbed her notebook off the windowsill, and followed Victoria, planning to ask her for Ben’s number after the meeting. </p><p>At the doors to the conference room, Rey tripped on the carpet, stumbling sideways into someone standing against the wall. Two helping hands steadied her. She looked up. And up.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Bonus song: Fade Away by Sam Feldt, Lush &amp; Simon, INNA</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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